9 Best Direct Selling Companies

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If you’d like to make some extra money by being a hostess extraordinaire, starting your own direct selling business can be a fun way to do it. Working for a direct selling company allows you to create a flexible schedule by hosting parties, shows or workshops, and take home a percentage of your sales or a percentage of the sales of people you sign up to be representatives. Keep in mind that to make a lot of money, you need to sell a lot, but if you’re looking to supplement a steady income, direct selling could be just what you’re looking for. And if it turns out direct selling isn’t for you, most companies including the nine listed here offer reimbursement or exchange programs to buy back unused materials at full price or part of the full price, depending on how long you have had the products. Read on to discover nine companies that might be worth your while.

The Pampered Chef If you have a passion for cooking and kitchen essentials, The Pampered Chef helps you make money by hosting “cooking shows” where your guests can buy an array of kitchen products sold by the company. There are two available starter kits: the New Consultant Kit ($155), which includes 25 products as well as training, marketing and business materials; and the New Consultant Mini Kit ($80), which includes a smaller selection of products, in addition to training, marketing and business materials. As a consultant, you can earn 20 to 25 percent of your total sales for each “show,” and, by recruiting a team of consultants, you can earn an additional 1 percent of your sales and 1 percent of their total sales. Also, once a consultant has reached $15,000 in sales in their career, their commission rate is automatically increased by 2 percent on all levels.

Silpada DesignsSilpada Designs offers sterling silver jewelry, belts and watches that you sell as a hostess of an at-home “jewelry party.” The starter kit ($199) includes personalized business cards, a representative ID stamp, 50 Silpada Designs catalogs, a polishing cloth, a ring- and belt-sizer, and one of three jewelry packages to choose from. Each package includes three pieces of jewelry to display at your parties (a necklace, bracelet and earrings). In addition, hostesses receive a 50 percent discount off any jewelry you choose to buy for yourself, to wear or display. The kit includes information on how to become a successful representative, training CDs, monthly newsletters, a personalized MySilpada website, a home-show DVD and unlimited one-on-one training from a Silpada sales coach. Consultants earn 30 percent commission on every piece of jewelry sold, and if you recruit other consultants, you earn anywhere between 4 and 16 percent of their sales, based on your team’s total sales. As a bonus, during the first 100 days, consultants can earn up to $3,000 in free jewelry based on sales and recruiting activity.

Heritage Makers Through Heritage Makers. hosts hold “home workshops” or “virtual workshops,” selling professionally bound cards, canvases, storybooks, posters, digital scrapbooks and photo gifts. Hosts can also schedule “Studio Demos,” in which clients are taught how to use the Heritage online software and can buy memberships to Club HM, the company’s publishing club, which consultants are encouraged to join. Club HM has three levels of monthly membership: $30, $50 and $100. As a member of the club, hosts receive free “publishing points,” which can be used to buy Heritage Makers products, with each point equaling $1. The $30 membership equals 40 points, $50 is 70 points and $100 is 120 points. You are also allowed to purchase “publishing points” at a wholesale discount of up to 34 percent off. The Consultant Signup Kit ($50) includes a starting guide, card sampler, order forms, brochures, catalogs, training DVD, personal website and virtual office, and an 8 x 8 storybook sample. Hosts can also sign up for an add-on Business Builder Kit for an additional $100, which includes additional workshop materials and supplies. Consultants make 10 to 30 percent of their total sales, 20 to 30 percent of the sales of those you’ve recruited and 1 to 5 percent of sales of the representatives recruited by your team, depending on individual and team sales.

Jordan Essentials Consultants for Jordan Essentials sell bath and body products by throwing at-home Girls-Night-In parties featuring spa products and mineral makeup. Three starter kits are available: $89 for the Basic Kit, $125 for the Deluxe Kit and $150 for the Deluxe Plus Minerals Kit. Based on the price, the kits come with a varying range of products including items such as exfoliant, moisturizers, powder and lipcolor in addition to a training DVD, catalogs, flip charts, order forms, invitations and a free three-month website to promote your new business. Consultants make 25 to 35 percent of total sales and 5 to 8 percent of the sales of the consultants they have recruited, all based on your team’s overall sales. Jordan Essentials also offers Fast Start Rewards during the first 90 days, in which consultants receive $50 to $100 cash bonuses for recruiting other new consultants. The company also offers continual cash incentives, product bonuses, trips and prizes for those who exceed their sales goals.